


Bowl Me Over

by icandrawamoth



Series: February Ficlet Challenge 2018 [12]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Teenagers, F/M, First Meetings, Flirting, Gen, I'm Bad At Titles, Meet-Cute, bowling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-13
Updated: 2018-02-13
Packaged: 2019-03-17 15:33:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 748
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13661943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/icandrawamoth/pseuds/icandrawamoth
Summary: When Rey and her friends have a night at the bowling alley, a handsome stranger offers her some advice on the game.





	Bowl Me Over

**Author's Note:**

> For February Ficlet Challenge prompt "bowling alley au."

Rey bites her lip in concentration as she gets a running start, hurls the bowling ball down the lane – and for the third time in a row watches it thunk into the gutter. “Dammit,” she groans loudly and looks over to where her friends are waiting.

“Tough luck,” Rose says apologetically as she writes down Rey's score. “Paige next.”

“Actually...” Rey turns to see the boy who's approached their group. He's a little older than them, tall with tan skin and dark curls. Handsome. Wearing a shirt with the bowling alley's logo on it. “I can give you a couple of tips if you like?” He grins brightly and teases, “Unless you'd like to just keep throwing gutterballs. Your choice.”

Rey rises to the challenge. “I'd rather not keep doing that, actually.” She steps aside and gestures to the lane.

“You're been trying to aim for the front and center pin, right?” he asks as he steps up beside her.

“Yeah. Isn't that right?”

“Actually, the best way to get a strike is to aim for what's called the 'pocket' – on either side of the lead pin. You're right handed, so you'll want to aim for the right.” He points to the floor. “See those arrows? Try to aim for the second one from the right.”

“Okay.” Rey retrieves her ball and gives it another go. This time, it ends up closer to where she intends but still skids to the side, taking out only one pin. She grits her teeth.

“You need more follow-through on your throw,” the boy says. He demonstrates, swinging his arm in an imitation of rolling the ball, then keeping it moving upward. “You want to end looking like you're ready to shake someone's hand.”

Rey gets her ball again and tries to repeat his actions, but this time she lets go far too late, overbalancing and going to one knee as the heavy sphere bounces on the boards and thumps into the gutter once more. “I knew we should have gone mini golfing instead,” she mutters under her breath.

“You're getting better,” the boy is quick to assure her as he helps her to her feet. He bites his lip for a moment, then says. “It might be easier to just show you the best form,” he muses, taking a hesitant stop closer. “Is this all right?”

“Yeah, okay,” Rey says warily, tingling as the boy steps up behind her. He's snug against her back, breath ticking the top of her head as he takes her wrist and draws her arm back.

“Start about here,” he murmurs as he swings her arm forward again, slowly. “Let go when you've reached about this point. Then end here, like I said earlier, in the handshake position. Make sense?”

“One more time?” Rey asks breathlessly. She's not above doing everything she can to keep this handsome, helpful stranger close for another moment.

She can practically hear him smile as he leads her through the motion again. “I'm Poe, by the way.”

“Rey.”

“Nice to meet you.” He steps away finally, cold air cutting between them. “Try it again, Rey.”

She picks up the ball, rolling it in her hands for a moment as she gathers herself. She can't embarrass herself now. “Okay, here goes.” She goes back to the starting point and steps forward again, does her very best to imitate the swing Poe showed her, aims for the second arrow, releases the ball, follows thorough-

And watches it sail into a perfect strike. Rey grins against the sound of pins tinkling against each other, whirling to face Poe. “I did it!”

“You did it! Excellent job!”

Rey turns her grin on her friends who are all staring at her with wide eyes that probably have nothing to do with the game.

“I should get back to the counter,” Poe says apologetically. “But I'll be right over there if you need any more help.”

“Thank you,” Rey says as she watches him disappear behind the snack stand.

“You need to go after him,” Rose is insisting before Rey even turns around.

“Holy crap,” adds Jess. “Anyone could tell he was into you.”

“Get his number,” Tallie agrees. “Or give him yours.”

“You think?” Rey looks over at the counter again – and catches Poe staring back. She jerks her eyes away, feeling a blush creep up her neck.

“ _Yeah_ ,” the four of them chorus.

Rey straightens her shoulders, puts a grin on her face, and goes.


End file.
